Set up a new regional dental school

With almost half of people who responded to Pippa’s health survey saying they found it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to get an NHS Dentist appointment, Pippa is joining calls for a new regional dental school to help train more Dentists in the East of England region.

This is based on evidence that the provision of dental training is uneven across the country. Currently, there are six dental schools in the North, two in London, two in the South West and one in the Midlands. There are no dental schools in the East of England region. The government’s new NHS Workforce Plan commits to increasing the number of training places for dental therapy and hygiene professionals across the UK by 28% by 2028/29.

Pippa’s campaign builds on earlier proposals by the University of East Anglia for a new dental school which has received cross-party support from MPs in Norwich and Norfolk but has so far been ignored by the government.

Since 2022 there has been a 100% refusal rate for new patients at NHS dentists across Cambridgeshire. This means no new patients can get NHS dental appointments and many are facing high private fees or are choosing to forgo dental care.

This situation is particularly bad for young children. For many years now, the number one cause for children’s hospital admissions has been tooth decay. Children are suffering needlessly.